News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1887-04-21
FROM THE NEW YORK CITY SHOE AND
LEATHER REPORTER.

!
In our issue of Sept. "a, 1885, we gave
brief description of the business o.
Carroll S. Page, the Hyde Park, Yer
mont, Calf Skin dealer, as it appeared tt
one of our staff. who then made per
sonal visit to his Hide house.
Mr.. Page has, since then. made extern
sive additions TO his establishment, anC
our representative having again visited
Hyde Park, we are able to give further
details of his novel and entirely Origina
methods of handling Calf Skins, as they
appeared to us.
The most noticeable thing about his
extensive Hide hOuSe-Which is a very
complete and convenient structure, 24C
by 50, situated on the line of the Vermont
Division of the Boston and Lowell Rail
road-Was, that every one of his en-
plOyees. numbering between forty and
fifty. seemed to have his own particular
part of the work to do. There was no
friction, no confusion; but method
ical clock-wOrk system characterized the
entire establishment from basement to
loft.
The Skins are taken from the cars
which run alongside the Hide house on
siding, put in by the Railroad Com
pany for Mr.. Pages especial use-and
drawn to an especially well lighted
apartment, where the are placed upon
grading tables and subdiVided into tiv'
qualities, SO that they may be weigheC
and valued with absolute eXactneSs.
Next comes the valuation, by Mr..
Page or his foreman, for the purpose OF
renting to conSignOrS-Which is done
with great promptitude, usually the dav
of or the day following the arrival OF
Skins-then the counting, billing, pack
JAS -atc., ISAIAH s-tlaepeFso in charge of
the particular department which the
work comes under.
Passing by the intermediate steps,
which are of minor Importance, we pro-
coed to the grading department. which
is the especial feature Of Mr.. Pages Sys-
tenn, and upon which he has evidently
bestowed much study, care and thought
To enable him to carry out his plans
in this department more satisfactorily
and perfectly he has this season erected
an addition S4X50, which he deYotes eX
clusively to his regarding department
Here each Skin is taken upon Tanners
fieshing beam, and the dirt, sineWs
meat, and other eXtraneOus matter, in
Guiding tail, dew-claws, head &c, remov
ed, so that when the Skin goes into pack
it is not only in wholesome, clean cOndi
| tion. but contains nothing not absolute,
| ly suitable to tan into leather.
The fleshing and trimming process
having been gone through with, the Skin
is infinitely and carefully examined fol
impe fectiOns, and to discover its adapt
ability for any and every purpose fol-
which Calf Skin is wanted, so that the
Wax, Glove or Rough Calf Tanner can
here find plump or spready, coarse OF
fine, extra choice, choice, medium, poor
or very poor, adapted to the finest shoe
or poorest lining. In doing this he
makes thirteen different selections. each
having a distinct characteristic, each
adapted to different want.
Very often the requirements of the
trade are almost as particular and eX-
acting IN the matter of uniformity in
weight as in that of quality. Mr. Rage
therefore has each of the selections above
described again subdivided into weights,
SO that the Tanner can order, of any
selection, Skin weighing either 2, 3, 4,
5, 6, 7, s, 8. 10, IL, Y, IA, Is, 20 or "A
pounds, and Mr.. Page can go to some
one Of his 156 different packs and take
therefrom the Identical weight, as well
as quality, of stock wanted by the Tan
nef, and in his Specialties, light and
medium weights, he can fill an order for
10000 Skins of one weight, and so uni
form that not Skin in the entire ship
ment will vary One-half pound from the
center weight.
Mr.. Pages collections reach over So
600 Skins in single month in the height
of the season. We believe that in the
extent of light weight raw material col
lected and carried. Mr.. Page holds the
lead of any competitor, and that his
present stock, which is considerably oyer
LOG. 900 Skins, is the largest held by any
house in the country. He uses the best
Liverpool salt, which is unloaded direct
from the vessels that bring it from Eu-
rope into boats which transport it up
the Hudson and through Lake Cham
plain to Maquam, the lake landing where
it is loaded on cars. He has already re-
ceived his second boat load this season.
and a boat load contains about 300, 900
pounds.
One would imagine that with such a
business Mr.. Page would find his entire
time absorbed, but his system is so excel
lent that he secures sufficient leisure to
attend to various other matters. He is
an extensive lumber dealer and a large
real estate owner; he is Vice-Presdent
and largest stakeholder of the LamOille
Co. National Bank at Hyde Park: he is
Chairman of the Republican State Com
mIttee, and is the Inspector of Finance
Tor Vermont, an Office which vests him
With the function of supervision of Saw
ngs Banks of the State.
Naturally Mr.. Page is highly regarded |
Oy his fellow citizens of the Green |
Mountain State; his enterprise in estab- |
lshlng so extensive a business is fully |
appreciated. He is universally spoken |
II by VermOnters as a kind friend, |
rood neighbOr, and liberal and public
pirited citizen. He has a hospitable |
rome, and understands well how to make
lis guests happy.